Improvement in road-scrapers



3 Sheets-Sheet- 1. G. W. TAFT. Road-Scraper.

No. 220,042. Patented Sept. 30,1879.

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PATENT QFFIOE.

GEORGE W. TAFT, OF ABINGTON, CONNECTICUT.

IMPROVEMENT lN ROAD-SCRAPERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 220,042,

dated September 30,1879; application filed June 6, 1879.

.To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE W. TAFT, of Abington, in the town of Pomfret,in the county of Windham and State of Connecticut, have invented certainnew and useful Improvements in Road Scrapers; and declare the followingto be a description of said invention, sufficiently full, clear,andexact to enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains tomake and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings,which form a part of this specification, and in which- Figure 1represents a plan view of my improved road-scraper with its partsadjusted in position for traveling, as when going to .or from the work.Fig. 2 represents a plan view of the same, with its parts adjusted inposition for operation as a diagonal scraper, with dotted linesindicating position of its opposite diagonal adjustment. Fig. 3represents a side view of my improved scraper, showing the bladeadjusted to upright working position, with dotted lines indicating theposition as adjusted for leveling purposes, and with dotted and brokenlines indicating the position as adjusted for traveling. Fig. 4 is aside view of a portion of the draft-tongue, showing the construction ofthe adjustable connections for the brace-rods. Fig. 5 shows a tranversesection of the same at line a: m, Fig. 4; and Figs. 6 and 7 show a topand side view of the swiveled loop-joint for retaining the handle-bars.

The object of my invention is to provide a machine for use in buildingand repairing roads, which shall be strong, light, and durable, capableof ready and various adjustment to meet the requirements of the work,convenient and effective in operation, and easy of conveyance to andfrom the work. To this end I have embodied in a scraper or roadbuildingmechanism features of improvement such as herein set forth anddescribed.

One feature of my invention consists in a scraping-blade attached to adraft-tongue by means of a series of universal-joint connections andadjustably-connected brace-rods, whereby said scraping-blade is renderedcapable of adjustment in any desired direction relative to the line ofdraft, as more fully hereinafter explained. Q

Another feature consists in a scraping-blade having a curved or concavedform, hinged or universally jointed to a draft-tongue, and provided withan-arch or supporting-frame and an adj ustably-connected brace-bar forregulating the dip of said blade, substantially as hereinafterdescribed.

Another feature consists in the combination, with the scraping-blade anddraft devices, of an adjustable detachable guiding-blade, constructedand arranged for operation substantially as hereinafter set forth, forsustaining side pressure on the machine when the scraping-blade is usedin diagonal position.

Another feature consists in the arrangement and combination,with thescraper-blade jointed to its draft devices and braced as aboveindicated, of trucks or traveling-wheels situated at the rear of saidblade, and within the limit of its length, or in such position thatwhile said wheels are out of the way, and do not interfere with theworking of the scraper, they will be brought underneath it forsupporting the machine when the same is adjusted for traveling, ashereinafter explained.

Another feature consists in the construction of the draft-tongue withslideways and looking devices for the retention and adjustment of thebrace-connections, as hereinafter described.

Other features consist in the construction and combination of thehand-bar supports; also in the several connecting and adjustingjoint-pieces.

These 'minor features of my invention will be understood from thefollowing detailed de scription of the construction and operation ofparts, the particular subject-matter claimed being hereinafterdefinitelyspecified.

In the drawings, A denotes the main scraping-blade, formed preferably ofsheet metal, and rigidly secured to a supporting-frame consisting of thearched piece A and central upright, A and with a horizontaltransom-piece across the lower rear part of the blade, the parts beingarranged substantially as illustrated in Fig. 1.

The blade A in a full-sized machine may be about five and one-half feet,more or less, in length, and may be re-enforced along its lower edge, ifdesired, by a hard steel facing, about four inches in width, riveted orotherwise so curedin position. The blade A is made straightlongitudinally, but is curved upward or made concaved on its face, so asto present a good cutting-edge along its lower extremity, while itsupper portion is in position to impart a forward rolling action to theearth as it is scraped up, so as to prevent clogging, and to work theearth along the diagonal of the blade.

B indicates the draft-tongue, the rear end of which is attached to thecentral upper part of the blade A, or to the central frame-piece, A by adouble hinge or universal joint, I), while its forward end, B, isarranged for convenient. attachment to an ordinary cart or wagon axle,as indicated in Fig. 3, it being designed that the tongue B should bethus supported when the scraper is in use, the team, of course, beingattached to such cart or wagon in the usual manner. If preferred,thetongue B could be arranged so that the team could be hitched directly tosaid tongue.

The tongue B is provided with a long central guideway, formed in thepresent instance by a rib or bar of wood, grooved along its uppercorners and capped by an overhanging plate or strip of metal, B firmlysecured in position, while centrally on said tongue, at either side ofsaid guidcway B are short rods or guideways U C, firmly tixed inposition, and parallel therewith are arranged latches or locking-bars DD, pivoted at their ends so as to swing upward, in the manner indicatedin Fig. 4, and furnished along their lower edges with a series ofrecesses, (11, to correspond with the several positions of diagonaladjustment.

E E indicate draft-rods or braces extending from near the ends of theblade A to the tongue B. The forward ends of said rods E embrace therods or gnideways C, to which they are securely retained, while beingfree to slide back and forth thereon. The rear ends of the rods E arejoined by double hinges or universal joints 0 to the respective flanksof the scraper-blade A, at or near the junction therewith of thearch-frame A, the three universal joints 6 b e being in line with eachother and on a line parallel with the blade A, as indicated.

The recesses d of the latch-bars D, when down, embrace the necks of thedraft-rods E, and thus lock the parts firmly at any adjusted position.

F indicates a top brace-bar, having its rear end connected by a doublehinge or universal joint, f, to the central upper part of the arch A,while its forward end is pivoted to a slide piece or casting, I, movableupon but securely retained to the guideway B which slide I is providedwith a catch or locking bolt, J, that tits into holes or recesses 1',formed in the guideplate B for locking the parts at any adjustedposition. If desired, the bolt J may be furnished with a spring, asindicated at J, Fig. 4, or otherwise, for pressing it into the holes 1'.By changing the position of the slide I along the tongue, the dip orforward pitch of the blade A is varied, while the diagonal adjustment ofsaid blade isefiected by changing the position of the draft-rods orbraces E to the respective recesses (I of the locking-bars D, the braceat one side being set backward, while that at the other side is setforward, and vice versa.

K indicates an auxiliary blade, which I term the land-side orguiding-blade. Said blade serves for resisting side pressure andpreventing the machine from being crowded out of position by the actionof the earthpressare when the scraping-blade is used in dragonalposition. The land-side K consists of a flat oval bladc,madesubstantially in the form shown, with supporting-bar K, having its rearend rigidly secured thereto, while its forward end is adapted to beconnected or retained by a bolt or hook, y, at the forward end of thedraft-rod E.

A short chain, h, having a hook at its end, serves to attach the blade Kto the rear portion of the rod E, in such manner that said blade will beretained in upright position against the end of the main blade A. Theland-side blade K, by cutting into the earth along its lower edge,guides the machine in a forward direction and prevents it from workingtoward one side. A reversible stirrup, k, is arranged near the rear endof the guideblade K, upon which the operator can place his foot, and, bythrowing his weight thereupon, increase the holding or guiding power ofthe blade K, if desired.

The bar K maybe made slightly flexible, so as to spring near its frontend, and thus permit the blade K to accommodate itself to the positionof the end of the scraping-blade A in any of its adjusted positions. Theforward end of said bar K being connected to the draft-rod E, itsposition, of course, follows the adjustment of the scraping-blade. Thisland-side blade K can be attached at either the right or left hand sideof the machine; or it may be wholly detached and laid aside whendesired, as when the machine is used for leveling off the road-surface,or when used as a square drag-scraper.

L L indicate trucks or traveling wheels, which are journaled onstandards L, secured to the upper rear part of the scraping-blade A nearthe connections of the draft-rods E. I11 the present instance thewheel-standards and draft-rod connections are made in the same piece orcasting; but separate pieces could be used, if preferred. The wheels Lare of small diameter, and are so placed that they are within the limitof the length of the blade or within the line of cut when said blade isused in a diagonal position, so that the end of the blade A can be runclose against a rock or bank without the wheels interfering therewith.The wheels L do not rest upon the ground excepting when the machine isadjusted for traveling-that is, with the arch A thrown backward toward ahorizontal position.

M M indicate the handle-bars for governing 220mm I 7 3 the machine. Saidbars secured at their forward ends to the cross-bar N on thedraft-tongue B (or to the tongue itself, if preferred) by detachablelock-connections m, while at their central portion they are held byswiveled loops or eye-bearings P on the bar or rod R, arranged acrossthe arch A at a short distance above the top of the blade A, andparallel therewith. The loops or eye-bearings P can slide freely on thehandle-bars, and can turn in any direction, so that the variousadjustments of the scraper can be effected without cramping at theconnecting-joints.

By unlocking the connection at m the handle-bar M can readily be takenout and inserted through the opening of the wheel, for use as ahand-spike or lever for raising one side of the machine, or for othersimilar uses.

This machine is adapted for use in building and repairing roads,excavating for foundations, filling trenches, and other similar purposeswhere earth is to be moved but short distances.

In the operation of road-making the scraping-blade is adjusted to aposition diagonal with the line of draft, either right or left, asindicated in Fig. 2, the desired degree of inclination being attained bymeans of the series of recesses d in the locking-bars D, said bars Dbeing .raised, as in Fig. 4, to permit the ends of brace-rods E to movealong the guideways O. The desired degree of dip or pitch of the blade Ais attained by arranging the slide-casting l with its lock-bolt in oneof the central series of holes e on the guideway B The scraper beingthus properly adjusted, it is drawn forward lengthwise of the road inthe ordinary manner, with the advanced end of the blade A in the gutter,so as to scrape up the earth, which, by the action of the curved bladeA, is rolled forward and inward until it discharges onto the road-bedfrom the inner or rearward end of said scraping-blade A, the operationbeing continuous as the machine is drawn forward.

For excavating, the scraper may be used with the blade adjusted at rightangles, or

' nearly so, with the line of draft.

For leveling off the surface of the road, the machine is adjusted withthe arch-frame A thrown forward toward the tongue B, as indicated bydotted lines, Fig. 3, the slide I being locked at one of the forwardseries of holes 1' on the guideway B thus setting the blade A at abackward angle, so that it will press down and flatten the earth as itis drawn over the road-surface.

When traveling to or from work the archframe A is thrown back, asindicated in Fig. 1, and by dotted and broken lines, Fig. 3, therebyraising the forward edge of the blade A and bringing the wheels L intoposition on the ground for supporting the weight of themachine.

Among the advantages incident to my invention may be mentioned thecomparative lightness and strength of the machine and the ease andfacility with which it canbe 0perated.

The draft-rods and tongue being connected to the blade by a series ofuniversal joints, and the rods or braces adjustably attached to thetongue, permit free adjustment to any degree of angularity withoutrelieving any of said parts from bearing their due proportion of strainwhen in use, and without interfering with directness of draft; also, theease with. which adjustment can be effected and the facility of movingfrom place to place on its own trucks without the necessity of a car orother cumbersome device attached thereto; and, further, the convenienceof guiding and overcomingsidewise action by aid of theland-side blade,while the curved form of the scraping-blade effects the transfer of theearth by a rolling instead of dragging action, and prevents clogging infront of the blade.

What I claim'as of my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,is

1. In an earth or road scraper, a scrapingblade attached to adraft-tongue by a series of universal-jointed connections andadjustablyconnected draft or brace rods, whereby adjustment of thescraping-blade to any desired angle relative to the line of draft can beeffected, substantially as hereinbefore set forth.

2. In a road-scraper, the curved scrapingblade hinged or connected byuniversal joints at its upper edge to the draft devices, and having anupward-projecting arched supportingframe provided with a brace or barhinged to the upper part of said arch-frame, and adjustably connectedwith the draft-tongue, whereby the supporting-frame and scraping bladecan be retained at any desired forward or backward inclination,substantially as set forth.

3. In a road-scraper, in combination with the main scraping-blade, adetachable guiding-blade fixed to the rear end of a supporting bar ortang, the forward end of which is flexible or flexibly connected withthe frame or draft devices, said blade being adapted for retention inupright position against the end of the main scraping-blade for cuttinginto the soil and guiding the machine in a forward direction,substantially as hereinbefore set forth.

4. In a road-scraper, the combination and arrangement, with thescraping-blade hinged or universally jointed to its draft devices tohave a forward and backward adjustment, of trucks or traveling wheelslocated at the rear of said blade and within the limit of its length,substantially as hereinbefore described.

5. In a road-scraper, the combination, with the drafttongue B andscraping-blade A, of

the side draft-rod E, universal-joint connec-' tions 6 b e, guideways orrods 0, and recessed locking-bars D, substantially as and for thepurposes set forth.

6. In a road-scraper, the combination, with the draft-tongue B andscraper-blade A, having the arched frame A of the long guideway B slidepiece I, with locking-bolt J,

9. The combination, with the guiding-blade K, of the foot-stirrup k, forthe purposes set forth.

10. In a road-scraper, the combination, with the scraper-blade A and.draft-rod connections 0 e, of the standards L and Wheels L,substantially as set forth.

Witness my hand this 26th day of May, A. D. 1879.

GEORGE W. TAFT.

Witnesses:

OHAs. H. BURLEIGH, S. R. BARTON.

